This invention relates generally to the field of devices that apportion or divide liquid from a single large container into multiple smaller containers, and more particularly relates to such devices that apportion or divide the liquid into equal amounts.
As a visit to a grocery or convenience store will readily attest, the price per liquid ounce of water, fruit juice, sports drinks, etc. is considerably higher when the drink is purchased in smaller plastic bottles as compared to half-gallon and one-gallon containers. For example, the price for a 64 ounce container of apple juice may be set at $3.99 (or 3.117 cents per ounce) and the price for an 8-pack of 8-ounce bottles of apple juice set at $4.59 (or 7.172 cents per ounce), even though the purchaser is buying the same product.
The reasoning behind customer acceptance of a higher price per ounce for multiple smaller bottles is the convenience factor. Filling individual small bottles one-by-one from a large container using a funnel is a time-consuming and potentially messy process, and most consumers will not make the effort.
It is an object of this invention to provide a liquid apportionment device whereby a plurality of small bottles, glasses or containers can be filled simultaneously from a single larger container in an easy manner. It is a further object to provide such a device whereby the liquid is equally apportioned, such that each smaller container receives the same amount of liquid. It is a further object to provide such a device wherein the number of smaller containers can be varied with only simple changes to the device.